10. How to Plan Accordingly (James 4:13-17)

Abstract

“My life is my own.” Few Christians would have the audacity to say those words, but most of us live as though we believe them. We often plan our days, our weeks, our months, and our years with a great deal of presumption. We sense that we are in control of our time and activities. In a results-oriented culture, we have convinced ourselves that the secret to success (in our education, our career, our marriage, our family, our future) rests in the right formula.

James offers a powerful warning to those who think they are in control of their lives: Presumptuous living is dishonoring to God. When we take God for granted we rob Him of His due credit. How seldom we acknowledge that our every breath is an undeserved gift from Him! Let’s live every day with that on our minds, and make every plan contingent on, “If the Lord is willing.”

Jeff has been happily married to Jenny for 18 years and they have two daughters. He joined the staff of Trinity Bible Church of Richardson, Texas in 2001, and became its fifth Senior Pastor in 2005. You can follow Jeff's blog at www.jeffreyemiller.com.
Jeff has published both popular and academic... More